202) for he did not have anyclue of what was to come. From the arrival, the next focal point is the tragic explosions and the escape ofthe passengers aboard the Hindenburg airship. The first explosion occurredapproximately four minutes after the first bow rope had dropped to the field. Rosendahl remembered this moment and exclaimed, It seemed as if the whole worldwas holding its breath. One heard no command, no call, no cry. (Archbold, 181) Aman by the name of Helmut Lau, was walking on a catwalk keeping an eye on themooring cable when he heard a muffled detonation. He thought the combustionoriginated near the center of the cell by a walkway, but everything happened so fasthe couldnt be sure. Another cell-men by the name of Hans Freund was closest to thefaint explosion as it occurred, yet his back was turned and had no clue where the fireactually started. As the Hindenburg, which was inflated with hydrogen, was being engulfed withflames the head captain ,Max Pruss, was at the head of the ship with other captainsand none of the officers yet understood what was happening. Seconds later however,Captain Sammt, who was leaning out a port window along with Pruss remarked, The ships on fire! (Archbold,183) The ground crew retreated as the fire roared toward the bow as the tail began tofall. Through the flames figures were reported being seen dropped to the ground. Assoon as the tail hit, the rest of the ship came crashing down. Mean and women, somewith their clothes on fire, emerged from the flaming inferno. Then suddenly whilepassengers were fleeing, a second violent explosion occurred , hurling people off theirfeet. Two men in fact, Alfred Grozinger and navigator Kurt Bauer, clung to the bowwindows outside of the ship and did not give in to the ships blaze even when flameswere inches beside them and did not let go, until the lower part of the bow hit thelanding field. Between the time of the first spark and t...
